{"id":452,"date":"2009-11-21T00:00:55","date_gmt":"2009-11-21T05:00:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/transworldexpedition.com\/?p=452"},"modified":"2009-11-21T18:53:01","modified_gmt":"2009-11-21T23:53:01","slug":"following-the-coast","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/transworldexpedition.com\/?p=452","title":{"rendered":"Following the coast"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure id=\"attachment_445\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-445\" style=\"width: 540px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"http:\/\/transworldexpedition.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/11\/swamps.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-445\" title=\"swamps\" src=\"http:\/\/transworldexpedition.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/11\/swamps-540x210.jpg\" alt=\"Louisiana swamps\" width=\"540\" height=\"210\" srcset=\"https:\/\/transworldexpedition.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/11\/swamps-540x210.jpg 540w, https:\/\/transworldexpedition.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/11\/swamps.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 540px) 100vw, 540px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-445\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Louisiana swamps<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div id=\"_mcePaste\" style=\"position: absolute; left: -10000px; top: 7px; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden;\">At 8 a.m. after a night in the luxury of the Super 8, we were back on the road again, continuing an expedition that should really be called a race. I can\u2019t wait to pass the border, to be able to relax a little bit more. Eventually, I hope to drive only 3 or 4 hours a day, and spend the rest of the time exploring the surrounding, meet people, read and take time to live.<\/div>\n<div id=\"_mcePaste\" style=\"position: absolute; left: -10000px; top: 7px; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden;\">Shortly after noon, we arrived at the West Brook High School, in Beaumont, Texas. We were here to meet with students who chose to learn French. The High school is the largest of Beaumont, a city of 100,000. We arrived just in time for lunch, and shared a spicy (not so spicy according to our hosts) gumbo, along with students and teachers of the school. After that, I met with two large groups of students, and answered some questions about the expedition.<\/div>\n<div id=\"_mcePaste\" style=\"position: absolute; left: -10000px; top: 7px; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden;\">What I really like is to insist on the fact that anyone can do what I chose to do. This is one of the goals of the trip, to show that you can save up some money, and go in an amazing adventure. It doesn\u2019t need to be all round the world, but even 6 months around Mexico can be incredible by itself.<\/div>\n<div id=\"_mcePaste\" style=\"position: absolute; left: -10000px; top: 7px; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden;\">We were behind the wheel after a couple of hours, and set cap on Houston, where Gwenaelle \u2013 an old friend from France \u2013 and Max, her fianc\u00e9, were waiting for us. We decided to stay there few days, since we had to work on the vehicle, and reorganize the load in the back.<\/div>\n<div id=\"_mcePaste\" style=\"position: absolute; left: -10000px; top: 7px; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden;\">In the morning, from the hotel, I posted a message asking for mechanical assistance in the Houston area on the IH8MUD forum. When I checked the answers in the evening, I saw that few people volunteered for help, and after a phone call, we planned to meet up with local Land Cruiser experts on Saturday.<\/div>\n<div id=\"_mcePaste\" style=\"position: absolute; left: -10000px; top: 7px; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden;\">We went for a Thai diner with our friends, and for drinks in Blancos, to hear some Texas country music, and watch local dancers. That was great, and I recommend the place to anyone passing by the city.<\/div>\n<div id=\"_mcePaste\" style=\"position: absolute; left: -10000px; top: 7px; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden;\">Exhausted, we enjoyed again a night in a real bed.<\/div>\n<p>At 8 a.m. after a night in the luxury of the Super 8, we were back on the road again, continuing an expedition that should really be called a race. I can\u2019t wait to pass the border, to be able to relax a little bit more. Eventually, I hope to drive only 3 or 4 hours a day, and spend the rest of the time exploring the surrounding, meet people, read and take time to live.<\/p>\n<p>Shortly after noon, we arrived at the West Brook High School, in Beaumont, Texas. We were here to meet with students who chose to learn French. The High school is the largest of Beaumont, a city of 100,000. We arrived just in time for lunch, and shared a spicy (not so spicy according to our hosts) gumbo, along with students and teachers of the school. After that, I met with two large groups of students, and answered some questions about the expedition.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_441\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-441\" style=\"width: 540px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"http:\/\/transworldexpedition.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/11\/nick_speaking.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-441\" title=\"nick_speaking\" src=\"http:\/\/transworldexpedition.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/11\/nick_speaking-540x221.jpg\" alt=\"Answering high school students questions\" width=\"540\" height=\"221\" srcset=\"https:\/\/transworldexpedition.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/11\/nick_speaking-540x221.jpg 540w, https:\/\/transworldexpedition.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/11\/nick_speaking.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 540px) 100vw, 540px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-441\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Answering high school students questions<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>What I really like is to insist on the fact that anyone can do what I chose to do. This is one of the goals of the trip, to show that you can save up some money, and go in an amazing adventure.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_444\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-444\" style=\"width: 540px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"http:\/\/transworldexpedition.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/11\/students.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-444 \" title=\"students\" src=\"http:\/\/transworldexpedition.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/11\/students-540x199.jpg\" alt=\"Kimberly, Mitchell, Andre, Adrienne and Miss Jones\" width=\"540\" height=\"199\" srcset=\"https:\/\/transworldexpedition.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/11\/students-540x199.jpg 540w, https:\/\/transworldexpedition.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/11\/students.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 540px) 100vw, 540px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-444\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Kimberly, Mitchell, Andre, Adrienne and Miss Bedford<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>It doesn\u2019t need to be all round the world, but even 6 months around Mexico can be incredible by itself.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/transworldexpedition.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/11\/cake.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-439\" title=\"cake\" src=\"http:\/\/transworldexpedition.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/11\/cake-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"cake\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" \/><\/a>After a couple of hours, we were back behind the wheel, and set cap on Houston, where Gwenaelle \u2013 an old friend from France \u2013 and Max, her fianc\u00e9, were waiting for us. We decided to stay there few days, since we had to work on the vehicle, and reorganize the load in the back.<\/p>\n<p>In the morning, from the hotel, I posted a message asking for mechanical assistance in the Houston area on the <a href=\"http:\/\/ih8mud.com\" target=\"_blank\">IH8MUD<\/a> forum. When I checked the answers in the evening, I saw that few people volunteered for help, and after a phone call, we planned to meet up with local Land Cruiser experts on Saturday.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_443\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-443\" style=\"width: 540px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"http:\/\/transworldexpedition.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/11\/rodeo.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-443\" title=\"rodeo\" src=\"http:\/\/transworldexpedition.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/11\/rodeo-540x308.jpg\" alt=\"At Blanco's, checking out Texas music\" width=\"540\" height=\"308\" srcset=\"https:\/\/transworldexpedition.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/11\/rodeo-540x308.jpg 540w, https:\/\/transworldexpedition.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/11\/rodeo.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 540px) 100vw, 540px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-443\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">At Blanco&#39;s, checking out Texas music<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/transworldexpedition.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/11\/diner.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-440\" title=\"diner\" src=\"http:\/\/transworldexpedition.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/11\/diner-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"diner\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" \/><\/a>We went for a Thai diner with our friends, and for drinks in Blancos, to hear some Texas country music, and watch local dancers. That was great, and I recommend the place to anyone passing by the city.<\/p>\n<p>Exhausted, we enjoyed a night in a real bed,\u00a0again. In the next few days, we plan on visiting San Antonio, and then go south and cross the Mexican border for more adventures.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_442\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-442\" style=\"width: 540px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"http:\/\/transworldexpedition.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/11\/poster.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-442\" title=\"poster\" src=\"http:\/\/transworldexpedition.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/11\/poster-540x145.jpg\" alt=\"Welcome signs at the school\" width=\"540\" height=\"145\" srcset=\"https:\/\/transworldexpedition.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/11\/poster-540x145.jpg 540w, https:\/\/transworldexpedition.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/11\/poster.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 540px) 100vw, 540px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-442\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Welcome signs at the school<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>At 8 a.m. after a night in the luxury of the Super 8, we were back on the road again, continuing an expedition that should really be called a race. I can\u2019t wait to pass the border, to be able to relax a little bit more. Eventually, I hope to drive only 3 or 4 &hellip; <\/p>\n<p class=\"link-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/transworldexpedition.com\/?p=452\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;Following the coast&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[24,32],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/transworldexpedition.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/452"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/transworldexpedition.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/transworldexpedition.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/transworldexpedition.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/transworldexpedition.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=452"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/transworldexpedition.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/452\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":464,"href":"https:\/\/transworldexpedition.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/452\/revisions\/464"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/transworldexpedition.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=452"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/transworldexpedition.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=452"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/transworldexpedition.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=452"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}